JULY 5, 1928
seaplane speed record, a win which they applauded sincerely,second only to one of our own people having secured it. He
also expressed admiration for the recent great flight of61 Italian machines round the Mediterranean. He would
look forward to the opening of a regular Rome-Londonservice, and on behalf of the industry he offered them their
great appreciation of the opportunity of meeting his com-patriots.
Col. the Master of Sempill, on behalf of the other aero-nautical bodies, thanked Gen. Balbo for the opportunity of
meeting them that evening. The gathering was the moreappreciated as Great Britain had been enabled to know the
cream of Italian aviation. In regard to the late Gen. Guidoni,he was an officer with most wonderful and unique experience,
and particularly was his loss felt at the Royal AeronauticalSociety, for he had never missed attending a technical
meeting of that body. They still had memories of themagnificent hospitality given them at the Venice meeting,
and they could hardly hope to equal this, but next yearthey would endeavour to give them a reception as worthy
of them as it was possible.
In conclusion, he called for three hearty cheers for Gen.Balbo and the Italian aviators.
Amongst other invited guests present were Dr. OresteRizzini, Ing. Anthony Lago. Prof. Camillo Pellizzi, Com.
De Probizer, Dr. Gimpel, Nob. Renato Prunas, Gen..Lombard, Col. Bolognesi, Lt.-Col. Todeschini, Lt.-Col.
Ajmone Cat, Lt.-Col. Pinna, Lt.-Col. Fougier, Lt.-Col.Ranza, Maj. Perino, Maj. Sacchi, Maj. Lordi, Maj. de Ber-
nardi, Maj. Martelli, Maj. Mecozzi, Maj. Briganti, Capt.Brack-Papa, Capt. Menghi, Capt. Granzarolo, Capt. Gaeta,
Capt. Orlando, Capt. Liberati, Capt. Baldi, Capt. Guazzetti,Capt. Baudoin, Lt. Di Robilant, Lt. Cecconi, Lt. Porru-
Locci, Dr. Bojano, Dr. Cavara, Dr. Quadrone, Dr. Intaglietti,Dr. Carlassarre, Dr. Contini, Dr. Carli, Dr. Palandri, Dr.
Giacomantonio, Dr. Cantalamessa, Dr. Camagna, Dr. Govoni,Dr. Nosari, Marchese Patrizi, Dr. Guiseppe Fedullo, Lt.
Sacerdoti, Dr. Tasselli, Gen. Rodolfo Verduzio, Col. Coppi,Dr. Rampagni, Signori A. Bettini, C. A. Straneo, G. Dell'Oro,
G. Massone, G. B. Ceccato, G. Guido Crolla, Defacci Negrati,G. de Grossi, Abbiati, Sovrani, G. Palliccia, Mazzotti,
Commander H. E. Perrin, Commander J. Bird, Col. Ercole,Col. Coop, Group-Capt. C. R. S. Bradley, Flight-Lieut.
MacDonald, Messrs. F. Handler Page, J. D.Siddeley, G. T.Vane, Stanley Spooner, J. L. Pritchard, C. G. Grey, F. W.
Emett, R. F.'Church.
LUNCHEON TO THE "BREMEN" CREW
THE Royal Aeronautical Society, Royal Aero Club, AirLeague of the British Empire and Society of British Aircraft
Constructors gave a luncheon at the Savoy Hotel on July 2to Baron Von Huenefeld, Capt. Hermann Koehl and Com-
mandant James Fitzmaurice, the three airmen who made thefirst flight from east to west across the North Atlantic in a
heavier-than-air machine, the Junkers " Bremen." Theyhad arrived at Croydon by air in a sister machine, and were
late owing to head winds prevailing all the time.
The Chairman, Lord Thomson, said that they were fortu-nate to welcome three gallant gentlemen who had displayed
the urge to achieve and the unconquerable spirit that dis-tinguished the better type from the beasts who perish. He
thought that the first air passengers on the future London toNew York air line would be haunted by the ghosts of the
pioneers, and would remember those who had blazed the trail.Baron Von Huenefeld, he continued, had shown enterprise
and vision, and was a worthy sportsman. He believed theexploit could be accomplished, had staked his money and
life, and won his bet.
Of Capt. Koehl, it was difficult to speak with moderation.He had piloted their machine for thirty hours or more, and at
the end of a long test, physical, mental and moral, he put hismachine down on thin ice which went through when they
next tried to take off again. That was artistic airmanship.
Of Commandant'Fitzmaurice, he thought he could describehim as the mascot to the expedition. He had gone west
quicker than any other Irishman before. He was a gallantgentleman because of that ideal, and he wished him luck.
In the name of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Royal AejoClub, Air League of the British Empire and Society of British
Aircraft Constructors, he congratulated the gallant gentlemenon their presence there, and wished them long years and
prosperity, but not repose and ease.
Commandant Fitzmaurice then rose and gave a brief anddirect account of his flight, beginning with the criticism that
they had received before the venture. He said that theirflight might be regarded as a stunt, but it had been
thoroughly organised. It was a sporting effort, perhaps,because they had only used one engine. The reason for that
however, was lack of money to provide three engines. Butthere was the thoroughness of the German people behind the
flight. Capt. Koehl was a man with long flying experience.They knew that with any degree of luck they could get over.
A twenty-four hour weather report given them by Capt,Entwhistle of the Air Ministry had proved very accurate.
The fog bank of Newfoundland, which engulfed them at theend, could not be forecasted, he explained, as it came up in
five minutes. For two-thirds of the flight they flew at aheight of between 50 and 100 ft., and during the day Capt.
Koehl and he shared the piloting for intervals of three hours.
Their greatest mistake, he said, was in not taking wireless,for when they were about 400 miles from the other side, if
a position could have been obtained by wireless the correctcourse could have been taken and New York reached the
next morning after a flight down the coast. For it wasdiscovered, after their ultimate landing in Labrador, that
eight to ten hours' fuel was left in the tank. He mentionedthe terrors of Labrador for the airmen, and utter impossibility
of survival after a forced landing in most parts there.
In conclusion, he said that their experience had convincedhim that an Atlantic air service was possible in the near
future.Capt. Koehl, who could only speak a few words of English,
taught him during his brief acquaintance with CommandantFitzmaurice, employed his limited vocabulary very pleasantly
in thanking his hosts for the kind reception.
Baron Von Hueneveld also spoke very little English. Hesaid that they were happy to be the successors of Nungesser,
Coli and the other pioneers, and he was glad to come to theMotherland of sport and fairplay.
Amongst those present were :—Col. The Master of Sempill,Sir Charles Wakefield, Sir Sefton Brancker, Mr. Oswald Short,
Mr. Handley Page, Capt. P. Acland, Lady Heath, Gen.Groves, the German Ambassador, Mr. Dulanty and Com.
Perrin.
The Royal Air Force Memorial Fund
THE usual meeting of the Grants Sub-Committee of theFund was held at Iddesleigh House, on June 28. Mr. Walter
S. Field was in the chair, and the other members of thecommittee present were :—Mrs. L. M. K. Pratt-Barlow,
O.B.E., and Sqdr.-Ldr. Douglas Iron, O.B.E. The committeeconsidered in all 17 cases and made grants to the amount of
/196 12s. 6«\ The next meeting was fixed for July 12,at 2.30 p.m.
Royal Air Force Flying AccidentsTHE Air Ministry regrets to announce that as the result
of a collision in the air at L'pavon, between two Woodcockmachines of No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron, Upavon, on June 5,
Flying-Officer Douglas James Frederick McMillan andFlying-Officer Philip Cranswick, M.C., the pilots and sole
occupants of their respective aircraft were killed.
As the result of an accident near Mosul to a Bristol "Fighter"machine of No. 6 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, Mosul,
on June 8, 335654 Sergeant Alfred Joseph Garner, the pilotof the aircraft, and 158714, Sergeant William Frank Futcher
were killed.
As the result of an accident at Shaibah, Iraq, to a D.H.9amachine of No. 84 (Bombing) Squadron, Shaibah, on June 12,
359131, Sergeant Francis George Bamford, the pilot of theaircraft, and 359418, A.C.I. Arthur Sidney Frost, were
killed.
R.A.F. " Crack " Pilot Killed
FLIGHT-LIEUT. H. C. CALVEY and a R.A.F. aircraftsmanwere killed on June 1 at Clifton, Bedfordshire, when flying
an Avro-Lynx. The former was a well-known aerobaticpilot, and often performed for the R.A.F. at air
meetings.
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